Oil and Gas Health Studies

Trying to get more information on the health impact of oil and gas drilling is a topic that lawmakers will soon be taking up at the statehouse. It comes after the Governor’s oil and gas task force issued several health related recommendations at the end of February. Bente Birkeland has more from the state capitol.

“I get a little bit concerned and annoyed when people try to use health as the basis of what they don’t like about oil and gas,” said Dr. Larry Wolk the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Public health and the Environment.

He said he understands the concern – but worries the state doesn’t have enough hard data…

“People may not like the look or noise, or truck traffic or smells, often that gets couched as the argument as it relates to health. We want to make sure we’re factual and evidence based,” said Wolk.

To that end Wolk is hoping to move forward on several recommendations put forth by the Governor’s oil and gas task force – including one that would create a mobile unit to try and study health risks.

“To address concerns about proximity of an oil and gas operation to their home, school or neighborhood. We can go out with a mobile monitoring unit and stay and measure what those potential health impacts might be. So that people don’t worry about sounds, or smells or symptoms.”

The task force also proposed adding more health department staff to study air quality and the creation of a health complaint hotline.

“The recommendation out of the task force wasn’t as detailed as we would want,” said Speaker of the House Dickey Lee Hullinghorst (D-Boulder).

While she backs the health proposals – she said they don’t go far enough and that’s why Democrats are proposing their own.

“Which relates directly to people’s health, doesn’t just look at the ambient air issues, which is a lot of what the health department has been doing,” said Hullinghorst.

Representative Joanne Ginal (D- Fort Collins) would be the main sponsor of a new health study. She hasn’t introduced the measure – but says it will be similar to bills she’s backed in the past.

“For two years now I’ve tried to bring a bill forward that would look at the health data in an analysis for six counties along the front range that are impacted by increased oil and gas production,” said Ginal.

Ginal said she wants her constituents to feel safe and thinks scientific data would help.

“I believe that we have an increase in population and we have an increase in oil land gas and we have to learn to live together. I’m not opposed to the oil and gas industry. I think it’s a vital part of our economy. My constituents are only asking if there could be some data that shows the air that they breathe and that their communities are healthy,” said Ginal.

But any Democratic proposal will face opposition from Republicans who now control the Senate. Senate President Bill Cadman says he does support the task force health recommendations but thinks no health study could ever appease people who oppose fracking

“There are some people that are going to drive up to you in their diesel powered car and their polypropylene jackets and demand that we stop producing these things,” said Cadman.

While Ginal’s oil and gas health study passed the House last year with bi-partisan support it was Democrats in control of the Senate that ultimately defeated it.

“There was a bill setting up a study a health study in oil and gas patches,” said Senator Mary Hodge (D-Brighton). Which included a survey of residents of an area that were already fired up about fracking and the affects it would have on their health. I could support a bill that’s truly scientific, non-biased that looks at the impacts of oil and gas exploration in the area.”

But for Speaker Hullinghorst that argument doesn’t fly.

“Those are the areas where they’re doing fracking. You’ve got to target the areas where it’s happening so I think that’s a fairly lame argument against her health bill.”

Even though Ginal’s proposal will likely fail, the recommendations from the task force have a green light, although they come at a cost. Dr. Larry Wolk of the state Health Department says the proposals would require state lawmakers to come up with several hundred thousand dollars up to $1 million dollars for funding.

Radio Bookclub

This month, instead of inviting the author to join us in the studio, we’ll speak with Michelle Dotter, the editor and publisher of Dzanc Books, on Thursday December 27th at 9am. Michelle acquired and edited this literary debut.